Manual Focus Lens Recommendation

dla

So I've recently started doing a lot of night photography, and I'm really loving it. In that vein I'd like to get a wide angle zoom or prime lens that's purely manual focus with very good image quality.

I'm shooting on a 40D, I was thinking there must be a slew of old manual focus lenses out there used but I have no idea where to start or how to tell what the best choices are.

I'd like something in the 21mm range, 21mm prime or a zoom that includes that focal length. Anyone have any recommendations? I'm very willing to adapt older lenses, but I'd like to stay under $1k, preferably WAY under $1k.

(Since, if I could spend $1k I'd get the Distagon T* 2.8/21mm)

ziggy53

Older wide angle film lenses were usually in the 24mm to 35mm lengths. 21mm would be a super-wide angle on a full-frame film camera amd there are not too many around.

If you can go to 24mm there are some real values.

The Sigma 24mm, f2.8 in a Nikon manual focus mount is rated as being pretty good to excellent and pretty easy to adapt to Canon EOS. Likewise the Nikkor 24mm, f2.8 AI is similar quality.

Don't forget about the Canon EF 24mm, f2.8. Yes, it's an AF lens, but it has very nice optics and a very reasonable price.

If you must go to 20mm I would recommend looking at a Nikkor 20mm, f2.8 AI-S.

Again, don't forget the Canon EF 20mm, f2.8. It is pretty high quality and a very reasonable price.

If you want the truly superb quality of the Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 21mm, f/2.8, I'm afraid you will just have to pay the big bucks to get it (and I think waaay more than $1000).